Illuminated sign.



W. H. INGLE.

ILLUMINATED SIGN. APPLIOATION TILED AUG. 17, 1909.

Patented NOV. 1, 1910.

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ILLUMINATED SIGN. APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 17, 1900.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. INGLE, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM H. INGLn, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to illuminated signs and especially to that class in which the sign can be made to change.

The objects of my invention are to provide such an arrangement of electric lights in each letter-block that any letter or number can be formed by the illumination of certain of the lights thereon; to arrange the wiring of the circuits so that any letter can be formed on any letter-block; to provide a device which will cause the circuits for any predetermined letter to be closed and then opened; which will admit of the indefinite extension of the sign; and in which a series of differing signs can be produced in consecutive order in the same group of letterblocks. I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisi'ns, construction, and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a front elevation of portions of the controlling and distributing devices; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the controlling cylinder showing it about to move the controlling mechanism so as to open the circuit controlled thereby; Fig. at is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the lights on one of the letter-blocks; Fig. is a perspective view of the controller mechanism showing one of the controller bars in position for breaking the circuit controlled thereby; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing said bar in position to close the circuit; and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a series of four letter-blocks with a few lights thereon and showing the controlling mechanism and circuit therefor.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

This sign comprises a series of exactly similar letter-blocks on which are mounted a group of lights arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 4-. All of the lights are con nected to a common return wire and each of the lights is connected by a separate circuit Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 17, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Serial No. 513,271.

to one or more terminals in a bank of distributing terminals according to the position of said light on the letter-block. One bank of distributing terminals is provided with each letter-block and all the light circuits from that block lead to this bank and to no other. The wire from any one light leads to as many terminals in the bank as there are letters or figures in which the said light is illuminated. When the sign is double, that is to say has lights on both sides thereof, the circuits branch so that corresponding letter-blocks are controlled by the same terminals in the bank so that such a sign will read the same when viewed from either side.

Referring now to the drawings the letterblock 1 has a large number of lights 2 secured thereon in their proper positions. All of these lights 2 are connected to the com mon return wire 3, shown in broken lines, and each light is also connected to an individual circuit 4:. All the circuits 4 for one letter-block are joined together into a single cable 5 which leads from the block to the head of the bank of distributing-terminals belonging to said block. Each bank consists of a number of vertical distributerbars 6, made of insulating material, on each of which are mounted a number of terminaliingers 7 which extend out from the side of the distributer-bars 6 so that all of the tingers will be adapted to engage the charged conductor 8 when said conductor is moved into engaging position. The number of such terminal-fingers 7 on any one of said distributer-bars 6 will vary with the number of lights to be illuminated to form the letter or figure which said distributer-bar 6 controls; and each light 2 is separately connected, by means of the circuit 4, to one of the terminal-fingers 7 on as many distributer-bars 6 as control the letters or figures on which said light is illuminated. Thus if any particular light is used on any one of ten letters or figures, then the circuit a thereof will be connected to ten different distributor-bars 6.

The charged conductor 8, consists of a strip of metal secured to a vertically movable bar 9 suitably mounted adjacent to the distributer-bar 6. The vertically movable bar 9 is provided with a number of outwardly projecting teeth 10, and the con ductor 8 follows the contour thereof. The spacing of the said teeth 10 011 the bar 9,

corresponds exactly with that of the fingers 7 on the bar 6, and their position is such that when the bar 9 is lowered (Fig. 5) the tingers 7 do not touch the conductor 8, but when the said bar 9 is raised (Fig. (3) each one of the fingers on the bar (3 engages the conductor 8. The conductors 8 are always charged because the common wire 11 is secured to the terminals 12, which are at all times in contact with the conductors 8. The common wires 11 and 3 lead to the terminals of a dynamo 20 or other source of electric energy. A large variety of arrangements of the different banks controlling the different letter-blocks may be made, though I prefer to arrange them one above the other as ill ustrated in the drawings; and in this arrangement I prefer to group corresponding letters in all the banks one above the other. for instance (Fig. 7) all the distributer-bars for the letter in all the banks for the four letter-blocks are thus grouped together. one above the other, as are also all the distribut-erbars for the letter (T) in the same banks for the four letter-blocks; the letter (1) uses five lights and thus has five terminal fingers on each of the banks, while the letter (T) uses the same five lights and an additional four lights, and has therefore nine terminals on each of the banks: and the wires for the five lights forming the letter (1) go to the terminals for the letter (1) as well as to five of the fingers for the letter (T). In Fig. 7 the letter is shown being illuminated in the first and third letter-blocks and the letter (T) is illuminated on the second and fourth letter-blocks.

The vertically movable bars 9 are suitably mounted on the frame-work of the machine and each is engaged by a connecting rod 13, which leads from the lower end thereof to one of the controllinglevers 11. All of the controlling-levers 1 1 are mounted side by side on a common pivot rod 15, each lever being in line with the bar 9 to which it is connected and which it controls. The lever 11 is formed with three arms, one of which is secured to the connecting rod 13 while the other two, 16 and 17 respectively, engage the operating means. The lever 14: is preferably cut from a flat piece of metal, the arms 16 and 17 extending outward from the central portion through which the pivot 15 passes. The controlling cylinder is mounted with its axis parallel to the pivot rod 15, and is of' such diameter and position as to lie adjacent to the two arms 16 and 17.

The cylinder 18 is provided with a series of holes arranged in lines thereon parallel with its axis, each hole on the line being in the same plane as one of the controlling levers 14. The holes in the cylinder 18 are preferably screw-threaded. A number of small plugs 19 are adapted to be screwed into any of the holes in the cylinder, and to project outward therefrom such a distance as to engage the arms 16 and 17 of the lever 11 as the cylinder rotates. As a plug 19 is carried around by the cylinder 18, it engages the end of the lower arm 16 and forces it out of its path thus turning the lever 11 slightly on its pivot 15 and bringing the arm 17 into the path of the plug and, by the same movement, raising the connecting rod 1-3 and the bar 9; as the plug carried farther it passes out of engagement with the lever 14. until it engages the upper arm 17 which in turn it forces out of its path. thus turning the lever 1-1 in the opposite direction and drawing the connecting rod 13 and the bar 9 down again and bring the lower arm 16 again into the path of the plug.

It is evident that there must be as many plugs 19 in a row as there are to be letters to be simultaneously illuminated, and it is evident that as the cylinder 18 rotates the plugs will cause the corresponding letters on the various letter-blocks to be illuminated, and then extinguished. It is further evident that by arranging a number of rows of holes in the cylinder 18 that the sign may be made to change and read differently as many times as the cylinder will allow: all that is necessary is that the distance between the rows of holes in the cylinder shall be slightly gr ater than the distance between the arms 16 and 17 of the lever. Thus it will be seen that if, for instance (Fig. 1), the letter (11) is to be illuminated on the first letter-block, then a plug 19 will be screwed in the hole, in the cylinder, in the plane of the first lever of the second group, controlling the said letter (13). and if the letter (A) is to follow it in the sign, another plug 19 is screwed into the hole, in the same line on the cylinder, but in the plane of the second lever of the first group, controlling the letter (A), and if the third block is to be left blank at the same time, then no plug will be screwed into any of the holes, on the same line, which come opposite to the third levers of any of the groups; and similarly if the letter (D) is to be illuminated on the fourth letter-block, then a plug 19 is screwed into the hole, in the same line on the cylinder, in the plane of the fourth lever of the fourth group, controlling the letter Thus it will he plain that if the letter does not appear on the sign in any of the letter-blocks, then no plug will be screwed in any of the holes in the planes of any of the levers of the group controlling the said letter.

Having described my invention what I claim is,

1. In an electric sign, the combination of a source of electric energy; a distributor comprising a plurality of contact fingers; a vertically movable bar adapted to engage all of said fingers when in one position but to be disconnected therefrom when in its alternate position, and being electrically connected to one terminal of the source of electric energy; separate circuits connected to and leading from each of said contact lingers; lights inserted in each of said circuits and being electrically connected to the other terminal of the source of electric energv; a letter-block whereon said lights are arranged; a rotating controlling cylinder; one or more plugs extending out from said cylinder; and a lever pivoted adjacent to said cylinder and connected to said vertically movable bar and adapted to be engaged and operated by said plugs whereby said bar is moved into and out of engagement with said contact fingers.

2. In an electric sign, the combination of a source of electric energy; a letter-block comprising an element in the electric sign; lights arranged on said letter-block and being electrically connected to one terminal of the source of electric energy; a series of distributers, each comprising a plurality of contact fingers arranged in a group; separate circuits each connecting one of said lights to one or more contact fingers; a series of vertically movable bars each adapted to engage all of said fingers in one group and being electrically connected to the other terminal of the source of electric energy; a rotating controlling cylinder; one or more plugs extending out from said cylinder, said plugs being arranged in lines parallel with the axis 01 the cylinder and in planes at right-angles thereto; and a series of levers pivoted adjacent to the cylinder and each connected to one of said vertically movable bars, and each adapted to be engaged by and operated by all said plugs which lie in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the cylinder, whereby said bar is moved into and out of engagement with said group of contact fingers.

3. In an electric sign, the combination of a source of electric energy; a series of letterblocks, each comprising an element of the electric sign; lights arranged in corresponding positions on each of said letter-blocks and all being electrically connected to one terminal of the source of electric energy; a series of banks of distributers, one such bank being provided for each of said letterblocks and each bank comprising a plurality of contact fingers arranged in groups; separate circuits each connecting one of said lights to one or more contact fingers in the bank corresponding with the letter-block in which the light is mounted; a series of vertically movable bars each adapted to engage all the fingers in one group and being electrically connected to the other terminal of the source of electric energy; a rotating controlling cylinder; a plurality of plugs extending out from said cylinder, said plugs being arranged in lines parallel with the axis of the cylinder for simultaneous action and at right-angles thereto for consecutive action; and a series of levers adjacent to the cylinder and each connected to one of said vertically movable bars, and each adapted to be engaged by and operated by all said plugs which lie in the plane at right-angles to the axis of the cylinder, whereby said bar is moved into and out of engagement with said group of contact fingers by each of said plugs successively.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. JINGLE. lVitnesses M. F. MGNEIL, B. V. Pruner. 

